How to Make Candles Last Longer (+ More Candle Questions)

The holidays are getting closer and closer and more people are getting eager to go home to their loved ones and catch up with one another. In a lot of instances, these people go home from another city, another state, or even a different continent. Due to this, inevitably, they come home bearing gifts for their loved ones and significant others. One of the more common gifts that people give their friends is candles - cause who doesn't love a good smelling candle!? Candles are great, but can go pretty quickly. So, if you've ever wondered how to make candles last longer, then you've come to the right place!

The National Candle Association has reported that candles have been one of the more staple gifts that are given during the holidays. They're always an appropriate gift because they can be used for multiple occasions and be put on display for others to see. Furthermore, this versatility makes the candle a reliable gift to give because the recipient is surely going to make some use out of the candle. Since there are a lot of people who send and receive candles as presents (or even mere enthusiasts who buy candles for themselves), a lot of questions inevitably get asked as well. This blog helps you answer some of the most frequently asked questions about candles.

What makes my candle smell so good?

A candle is typically made using three components: wax, wick, and essential oil. The wax is used to provide structural integrity for the candle as well as a fuel so that the candle can sufficiently burn; the wick is the “fuel line” of the candle that enables the candle to get lit and the wax to get used up; finally, the essential oil is the component that provides the scent of the candle. This is the important component that lends the intoxicating scent that your candle has.

Essential oils are typically derived from plants and are used in candles to give them their scent. It can be floral, sharp-smelling, fruity, or even menthol-like depending on what plant the oil was extracted from. Candle-makers typically formulate their candles with similar techniques for the structure of the candle i.e. the wax. However, they differentiate themselves from one another by utilizing unique blends of oils to make their candles stand out amongst the crowd of other candles. Or, if they're Hidden Candle candles, then they're even extra unique as they have messages inside of them, too!

Hidden Candle uses high-quality fragrances and oils to give you the best smelling candles you can possible have. Check out our collections here.

Are natural soy wax candles toxic?

The short answer: soy wax candles are non-toxic. In fact, they are considered to be one of the more “eco-friendly” candles given how they do not contain petroleum and other fuels. This natural derivative is comparatively the better option in terms of being environmentally conscious. We discuss this in further detail in one of our posts titled “Are Soy Candles Toxic?” We compare it with other types of wax, like paraffin, explain why soy candles are better, give some safety tips, and ultimately answer why natural soy wax is non-toxic. You can check it out here. Here at Hidden Candle, our candles are made from 100% soy wax - so no need to worry about anything toxic!

What makes natural soy wax candles better than other candles?

As we mentioned above, this has been discussed in one of our previous posts. However, to quickly answer the question, natural soy wax candles are better because they are more environmentally friendly, it burns “cleaner”, and it lasts longer compared to other wax. If you use candles that are made up of 100% natural soy wax as we make here at Hidden Candle, then you are sure to get your money’s worth because one candle can last you a long time. Compared to other candles, we are confident that our unique candles will make your candle experience much more enjoyable.

Why does my candle cost more compared to other brands?

This comes down to a lot of factors, but in general, it may be due to the ingredients used by the manufacturers to make your candles. The oils they use may have undergone a more labor-intensive extraction process, increasing the price of production which subsequently increases the price of the product. Furthermore, some brands like to increase the price of their candles simply because of their “luxury” brand. This means that you are paying for the name rather than the experience and the quality of the product. Finally, candles that use beeswax and soy wax are generally more expensive than candles that use paraffin wax since getting these natural waxes are harder compared to other waxes. Here at Hidden Candle, however, we made sure that we get to sell our candles at a more affordable price point compared to other luxury brands while still using soy wax. We have done this without compromising the quality of our candles, and we hope that you get to share our joy by spoiling yourself with some of our candles.

What is a “clean burn”?

A clean burn means that the candle does not produce soot while burning. It also indicates that the flame does not produce pungent smoke that is unpleasant to you or your visitors. Hidden Candle products are all clean-burning and non-toxic. We achieve this by using 100% natural soy wax, cotton wicks, and high-quality essential oils. 

Furthermore, we ensure that these oils are paraben and phthalate-free, and follow strict international safety standards and rigorous testing set by the IFRA. We are cruelty-free and formulated without the following: Sulfates SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehyde, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, triclocarban, PTFE/PFOA, styrene, polyacrylamide/acrylamide, acetaldehyde, acetonitrile, methylene chloride, animal fats, oils, and musks, benzalkonium chloride, toluene, resorcinol, acetone, butoxyethanol, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, methyl cellosolve, methylisothiazolinone/ methylchloroisothiazolinone, mercury and mercury compounds (thimerosal), and bisphenol A(BPA). These products usually render a candle unpleasant and toxic.

What are hidden message candles?

Hidden message candles, otherwise known as secret message candles, are candles that contain a message hidden inside the candle that gets slowly revealed as the candle is melted. This is the unique selling point of our products: our candles have a glass vial embedded inside with a hidden message. The message may be a quick fortune or a love letter depending on whether you got it from our Fortune Collection or our Love Letter Collection. Check out our complete collection at our shop!

How can I extend the duration of my candle?

Finally, we are here on the question that you have been waiting to get answered since you clicked this post: how do I extend the duration of my candle? There are a lot of ways you can do so, and here are some of our suggestions:

1. Freeze your candle. Before and after every use of your candle, consider freezing it prior to using the candle. This solidifies the candle which renders a hardening quality to the wax. The harder wax burns more slowly compared to candles that have not been frozen beforehand.
2. Try sprinkling salt. After lighting up your candle, allow for the top layer of wax to melt and pool, then blow out the flame. Afterward, immediately sprinkle table salt into the liquefied wax and mix them. This trick serves the same purpose as the previous suggestion of freezing your candle: it makes you get the most out of your candle by giving it more burn time. This trick can also be used in conjunction with the first suggestion so you can maximize your candle and truly get your money’s worth.
3. Keep your wick trimmed. Wicks are the part of the candle that gets lit by the fire. It works by absorbing the liquefied wax and using it as fuel to keep the fire going. Longer wicks tend to hasten the burning since you have more “space” to burn and more material that absorbs the wax. Therefore, to ensure that you do not run out of your candle quickly, keep the wick trimmed at around 1/8 inch.
4. Evenly melt and liquefy the top layer of the wax. The first step you should do when lighting your candle is to liquefy the top layer of your wax. This will ensure that your candle will melt evenly and you will not end up with a “tunnel” or a hole in the middle of your candle with a lot of remaining unmelted wax at the side. This will help your candle last longer because you get to use up all of the wax of the candle instead of wasting some parts of the candle.
5. Keep it burning for, at most, 4 hours at a time. There is a misconception that surrounds candles where people usually feel like they should keep their candles going for hours and hours until they finish their candles. This is so they maintain the intoxicating scent that the candle gives off. We recommend that you light your candle for, at most, 4 hours and then blow the flame out. There should be enough scent in the air to keep your home smelling incredible for a while!

Conclusion of How to Make Candles Last Longer

Candles are among the most frequently given presents on special occasions. Because of this, there are a lot of questions asked regarding how to choose the perfect candles, what differentiates brand X from brand Y, why does one candle uses soy wax and another uses paraffin, etc. We hope that this blog answered some of your questions - including how to make candles last longer! We hope that you do not miss the opportunity to check out some of the products that we offer here at Hidden Candle as well!